Chef Yami
by Pysche
Summary: COMPLETE When Yami is forced to go into hiding, Seto gives him a place to stay...and a surprising new job. SetoYami
1. Default Chapter

Okay... I'll warn you right now. This fic is pretty much pure fluff, and there is OOCness. Oh, and Seto _really_ likes eggs... I don't really take it that seriously; it's just for fun, okay? Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 1

Yugi had disappeared.

One moment he was asleep in his bed while I rested in the confines of my soul room, shut securely in the Sennen Puzzle; and the next I opened my eyes, only to find myself in Yugi's bed, with no sign of him anywhere. He was simply gone, as if someone had taken him during the night.

And I was the prime suspect.

"You _have_ to know where he is, Yami, the two of you shared a body!" Anzu cried the next morning. Her eyes filled with tears, which immediately slipped down her cheeks in torrents as she stared at me.

"Yeah, man, isn't he inside the Sennen Puzzle if you're out here?" Jou asked hopefully.

I shook my head slowly, unsure of how to respond, when a harsh voice from behind me laughed sarcastically.

"They each have their own bodies now," Bakura commented as he suddenly walked up to us, smirking. "I've seen to that." He gestured grandly at the angelic Ryou, who stood a few paces behind him and looked shyly at us through his thick, snow-white hair.

"Tomb Robber! What have you done?" I growled. Bakura merely inspected his fingernails, humming. "Bakura!" I pressed warningly.

"Just a spell. Simple, really. I wanted to be able to separate from my sweet little hikari here," he said, stroking Ryou's hair. Ryou blushed and looked away. "Anyway, the spell ended up working for you, too. Good thing that crazy Malik's not around anymore, or his psychotic other half would probably be around with his own body, too," Bakura added, sighing theatrically.

"But _where_ is Yugi?" Anzu wailed, tears now streaming from her face.

"Yami did something with him. My spell wouldn't make him disappear," Bakura said indifferently. "See? Ryou's right here, and just fine. Yami probably killed him. Of course, maybe it was an accident..." Bakura trailed off idly.

I stared at him in shock. "That's rid...ic...u...lous..." I forgot what I was saying as I caught the looks of suspicion and disbelief on the others' faces. But they looked suspicious of _me_!

"YAMI, WHAT DID YOU DO TO YUGI?" Anzu, Jou, and Honda suddenly shouted as one.

"Nothing," I protested weakly, but they all just glared at me. Jou and Honda clenched their fists, and Anzu whipped out her cell phone.

"You'd better run," Ryou whispered.

I ran.

* * *

Two days later, I had strayed far into the countryside, but I kept running, on and on, though my sides ached and my breathing had reduced to desperate, ragged gasps. I pushed through bracken along the side of the road, following the highway but keeping out of sight. I had no destination in mind, no reason to keep moving forward. But still I ran.

Pushing aside the blonde bangs from my sweaty face, I swiped a grimy arm across my eyes, obscuring my vision for a brief second as I wiped the sweat away from my eyes.

So I didn't see the patch of mud on top of a steep hill.

My feet slid out from under me and I rolled, unable to slow my acceleration on the slippery earth; so I curled into a ball, tucking my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around my head as branches and rocks thumped against my skin. I gritted my teeth in pain but refused to cry out, and eventually I slowed and came to a halt against something hard and narrow. Figuring it was a tree trunk; I uncurled my aching limbs and grabbed it for support.

It reached down and grabbed my other arm.

I gasped, yanking my arm out of the thing's grasp, and carefully rubbed the mud out of my eyes as my heart pounded in shock. "I was just trying to help you stand; that fall could've killed you," a cold, irritated voice told me. It sounded oddly familiar.

I opened my now mud-free eyes and stared into ice-blue eyes that snapped fiercely under soft brown bangs. The tall, lean figure gave me an annoyed glare and crossed his arms impatiently.

It was Seto Kaiba.

"_Kaiba_?" I gasped. "What are _you_ doing here?"

He stared at me a moment longer until his eyes widened slightly in recognition. "Yugi. I didn't recognize you under all the mud," he smirked.

I glanced down at my brown, sodden clothes and sighed. Maybe I could rinse them in a river or something. "Not Yugi," I muttered. "My name is Yami."

"Yami? I always just thought of you as the _other_ Yugi, the real one," Kaiba mused, and my heart lifted in spite of myself. The _real _one? Then Kaiba continued, and my heart fell crashing to the earth again. "So, where is Yugi then? Inside that necklace?"

"Puzzle. And no," I replied dejectedly, gesturing at my bare neck. "He disappeared, and the Puzzle disappeared with him."

"He ran away, then," Kaiba said disinterestedly, and began walking.

I followed him.

"Yugi-tachi think I killed him, or kidnapped him," I told Kaiba. He laughed snidely. He _laughed_. "What in the world is so funny?" I snapped, and stopped in my tracks. Kaiba paused as well, studying me.

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. Although, the cheerleaders aren't exactly known for their intelligence," Kaiba replied nonchalantly.

I grinned a little for the first time since Yugi had disappeared; Kaiba's rudeness was actually pretty funny sometimes. Even though he was still a complete jerk, of course. "Well, actually Bakura somehow convinced them that I did it. I think Anzu was about two seconds from calling the police when I ran from them," I sighed.

"Your fault. You should've run from them a long time ago," Kaiba retorted dryly, and I laughed out loud in spite of myself. A slight smile lingered on my face after the short laugh faded, and we continued walking in silence.

We came to a halt at the edge of the forest, where a simple but well-kept lawn stretched to a medium-sized brick house, covered on one side with an ivy trellis. The house seemed warm and inviting, the kind of residence for old women who love to bake chocolate-chip cookies. I studied it curiously until I noticed Kaiba pulling keys from his pocket.

"Do _you_ live here?" I gasped in surprise.

"Country house," he answered simply, striding to the door. "Mokuba is out here for a summer school program, and I wanted to be close to him." I followed him to the door, shifting my feet uncertainly.

"Oh. Well, tell him I said hello, then. It was good to see you," I told Kaiba, and began walking down the long, paved driveway toward the street. Kaiba groaned loudly.

"Just come in," he grumbled. I turned around, studying him, but shook my head.

"You don't have to help me. It's against your nature," I laughed mirthlessly. "Besides, I don't want your charity. Once I get far enough from Domino City, I'll find some sort of job."

Kaiba thought for a moment. "Well, do you want a job then? You're already a hundred miles from the city," he said.

"Doing what? Being your maid?" I asked sarcastically.

He grinned. "As amusing as that would be, no. I don't need someone to pick up after me," Kaiba replied. He was silent for a long moment, and I could tell he was trying desperately to think of _something_ for me to do. Frankly, it annoyed me a little, since I didn't like knowing he was doing me a favor. But, I couldn't help feeling intrigued, as well- I wondered why Kaiba would bother to help me.

Of course, it didn't really matter, since he would never think of a job for me to do.

Finally he gave me a questioning glance. "I don't suppose you can cook?"

Okay, so he got lucky. How could he possibly have known that I...? My face lit up automatically and I nodded, beaming at Kaiba. I actually loved to cook- Yugi generally let me take over at mealtimes, and I would cook for Yugi and Jiichan. I felt a brief pang in my heart at the thought of Yugi, until Kaiba gestured for me to come inside, grinning once more.

"This I've got to see," he said dryly.

* * *

After making me remove my muddy shoes by the door, Kaiba showed me around the quaint country home. It was spacious, but seemed little used, except for Kaiba's study. "Working during your vacation, hmm?" I asked wryly, observing the stacks of files and papers piled around Kaiba's computer.

"Who said I was on vacation?" Kaiba drawled. He motioned for me to follow him out of the room, and I strolled behind him through the hallway, my mud-caked clothes drying uncomfortably on my skin. "There are three bedrooms. This one is mine," he said, pointing to a closed door, "and this one can be yours." He pushed open the door to the room next to his.

A soft, tan carpet massaged my bare feet as I entered the room. In one corner sat a king-sized bed with yellow coverlets, and matching curtains hung on the windows. There was no other furniture except for a desk with a high-backed, rolling chair. The overall effect was openness and comfort.

"It's not a big room, but it's the best bedroom here, aside from mine of course," Kaiba told me, lifting his chin cockily. "And we'll have to share a bathroom. Clean up after yourself and do your own laundry," he raised an eyebrow at my muddy outfit, "and we shouldn't bother each other too much. Maybe you can go back to town as soon as Yugi comes back."

"Thanks so much, Kaiba," I told him gratefully, and he gazed at me intently. After a moment, I felt a little awkward under his scrutinizing blue stare, and I cleared my throat. "Er, I should probably shower now," I commented. He nodded and swept out of the room.

"I'll get you something to wear."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, my clothes were spinning in the washing machine and I was rummaging around the kitchen, wearing Kaiba's oversized black T-shirt and a pair of his gray cotton pants that I had rolled up several times so they wouldn't drag the floor. I absently tugged on the waistline of the pants and stared into the refrigerator, wondering what I could cook with Kaiba's limited groceries. He obviously wasn't used to buying his own food; I'd have to make him a grocery list.

Finally, I pulled out an egg carton, some green peppers from the vegetable drawer, cheese, and leftover ham (I prayed the ham wasn't too old), deciding to make omelets. As I chopped the peppers with a sharp knife, Kaiba wandered into the kitchen.

"What are you making?" he asked, leaning against the far side of the counter.

"Spanish omelets. They shouldn't take long," I replied, now chopping the ham into tiny cubes. I turned on the stove and began stirring the eggs as he idly watched.

"Sounds good. Smells good, too," Kaiba finally commented, as I flipped the concoction in the pan and added cheese.

"Well, see if it tastes good," I smirked slightly, and tossed the eggs onto a plate and handed it to him. I turned away and busied myself making another omelet. "You don't have many groceries. I'll make you a list and you can go to the grocery store; or maybe I can go if you think it's safe. I don't know if Yugi-tachi ever called the police, or... Kaiba? What's wrong?"

I interrupted myself when I saw his wide-eyed expression. He'd only taken one bite of his eggs, and he stared at me with a shocked expression planted on his usually impassive face. "Kaiba? Is it not good? I was afraid that ham was bad; I'll make you something else," I sighed, and reached for his plate.

He jerked it from my gasp, scowling, and quickly shoved more eggs in his mouth. "NO! I want them!" he mumbled with his mouth full.

I sighed and lifted my eggs from the pan before they could burn. Shutting the stove off, I told him, "You don't have to patronize me. If something doesn't taste good, you can tell me. I won't be offended. Besides, I didn't have much to work with in your refrigerator." I turned back to my plate, but it had disappeared. "What the? I thought I put it right there," I muttered to myself. "Kaiba, do you see my food anywhere?"

"No," he mumbled. It sounded strangely muffled, and I glanced up at him curiously. He swallowed guiltily. Then I noticed the two empty plates in the sink beside him and raised an eyebrow.

"Huh. I guess they were okay, then."

* * *

That evening I relaxed luxuriantly into the soft bed. It was the first time in days I'd slept anywhere but the mosquito-infested ground, and I was grateful; but the lack of physical discomfort merely provided an opening for torture of a different sort. A vivid nightmare visited me as soon as I drifted into sleep, as though it had been waiting for me for days.

"_Yami, what did you do to him?" Anzu cried._

"_He's dead!" Jounouchi shouted, lifting Yugi's motionless form from the sidewalk. Blood trickled from the side of Yugi's mouth, and an imprint in the shape of the Sennen Puzzle stood out on Yugi's temple, a bright red against his unnaturally pale face. I reached out to trace the pattern with a shaking finger, but Jou slapped my hand away._

"_Don't touch him! Look what you've done already!" Jou growled angrily._

"_I didn't! I would never hurt him! I wouldn't!" I cried. Just then, the pale and lifeless Yugi snapped open his eyes. _

"_But you did," said a ghostly voice, a ghastly imitation of Yugi's sweet tones. "Yami, why did you kill me?" the dead Yugi asked._

_I screamed._

I screamed at the top of my lungs- a cry of pure terror, of horror and regret. The chilling sound snapped me into awareness, and I knew instantly where I was and everything that had happened over the last few days. My nightmare didn't even leave me the luxury of dwelling in a hazy sleep-state for a few moments.

I sat up in the bed and drew my knees to my chest, burying my face in them, and I covered my head with my arms and tried to still my frightened tremors. Just then, the door burst open and Kaiba stumbled into the bedroom, robe hanging over one shoulder and thick brown hair rumpled attractively.

"Mokuba? I'm coming," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. I laughed at him, happy for the distraction.

"No, Kaiba, it's just me, Yami, remember?" I asked.

"Right... Mokuba's at school, and you're cooking me eggs," he mumbled, still half-asleep. I laughed again and shook my head indulgently.

"Just go back to bed, Kaiba," I told him. He nodded and climbed into bed beside me.

"Okay. Good night, Mokuba. You won't have any more nightmares while I'm here," Kaiba yawned, and I blushed hotly.

"No! Kaiba, go away!" I cried. "I'm not Mokuba, and your bedroom is _next door_!" I gave him a little shove. He snored.

I blinked in confusion, contemplating my options. I could try to wake him up again... I shoved him, harder this time, and he reflexively grabbed my arm, still snoring loudly. Blushing again, I carefully extracted my arm and decided to try something else.

Well, I could always leave him here and go sleep in another bedroom, but I'd have to crawl over him to get out of the bed. I sighed and gritted my teeth, carefully climbing over Kaiba without touching him. Just as I had cleared his torso, I sneezed.

Of course.

"Mokuba, I told you not to wander around at night," Kaiba muttered, and grabbed me around the waist. He pulled me back down to the bed beside him and wrapped his long, slender arms around my shoulders. Kaiba rolled onto his side, facing me, and drew me against his chest. He smelled faintly of cinnamon.

"Good night," he mumbled, not opening his eyes. I bit my lip and considered my options. I couldn't wake him up and couldn't climb over him, so I might as well...stay here. I lightly rested my forehead against his chest and closed my eyes, inhaling the scent of cinnamon.

"Good night, Seto," I replied.

* * *

The soft, snuffling sound of Kaiba's snores abruptly halted and I jerked awake at the sudden lack of noise. "What am I doing here?" Kaiba tried to snap, but a wide-mouthed yawn lessened the effect somewhat.

I sighed heavily and pushed myself farther away from him. At least we hadn't woken tangled in each other's arms (or whatever nonsensical way romance novels adore phrasing such things). "You wandered in here in the middle of the night, thinking Mokuba had a nightmare, and I couldn't get rid of you," I told him shamefacedly.

"Huh? Why would I think Mokuba had a nightmare?"

"Because...because _I _did. I guess you heard me scream," I admitted.

"Ah. Well, then... Go downstairs and make me some eggs," Kaiba commanded, giving me a roguish grin.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Wouldn't you rather have something _else_?" I hinted, and he shrugged.

"Whatever." He climbed out of the bed and disappeared from the room; I heard the bathroom door slam shut a few seconds later. I followed him out of bed, stretching widely, but I immediately had to grab the waistline of my overly large cotton pants.

"I think I'll check on my clothes now," I sighed, and padded barefoot into the laundry room, long pants dragging behind me where they had come unrolled the night before. Once downstairs, I quickly pulled my own form-fitting black pants from the dryer and slipped them on with a sigh of relief. As I followed suit with my snug black shirt, whipping off Kaiba's T-shirt and tossing it carelessly into the laundry pile, Kaiba came up behind me.

"What are you doing?" he asked, staring at me curiously.

"Getting dressed. What does it look like?" I snapped, reddening slightly at being caught shirtless. I turned my back to Kaiba and tugged the shirt over my head.

"Won't you spill something on your clothes if you change before you cook?" Kaiba pointed out.

"No. I never do," I replied disinterestedly. I began moving toward the kitchen, and Kaiba followed me and leaned against the counter while I rummaged through the cabinets. He still wore his nightclothes- a white T-shirt and navy blue cotton pants, with a long blue robe hanging open over his shoulders. The robe reminded me of one of Kaiba's many trench coats.

I paused briefly in my search to observe him, and his blue eyes flashed under my scrutiny. "What?" he snapped in irritation.

"I was just wondering what you might like to eat. Besides eggs, that is; we're out," I replied hastily, blushing at being caught staring.

"Oh. Well, I don't care. I don't know what's in there," he replied, and busied himself making a pot of coffee.

I nodded vaguely, returning to the refrigerator. I pulled open the vegetable drawer and found several kinds of fruit shoved carelessly into the back. I examined them, muttering to myself. "Well, there are a few spots, but I could probably cut those out..." Gathering everything into my arms, I quickly rinsed the fruit and began chopping expertly, tossing away the bad parts just as Kaiba's coffee began to trickle into the pot.

I rapidly dug out a serving bowl and tongs and tossed the different kinds of fruit inside and placed them on the table. Then I gave Kaiba a little wink (he was still watching me) and mixed up sugar, flour, and a little milk into a thick white paste. As an afterthought, I added a touch of cinnamon, smiling to myself. Then I put the paste on the table and dug out bowls, and a spoon for the dip.

"There," I told Kaiba, grinning, and gestured for him to sit beside me at the table.

"What is that?" he asked, wrinkling his nose at the white paste.

"Fruit dip. Try it," I motioned. When he didn't move, I dipped a strawberry in the paste and held it in front of his lips. He merely raised an eyebrow. I wiggled the strawberry impatiently in Kaiba's face, and he scowled at me but opened his mouth and took the fruit. My fingers lightly brushed against his lips and I blushed, suddenly embarrassed by my antics.

I silently loaded fruit onto both our plates, not looking at him, until I felt my neck prickle under his contemplative gaze. When I finally glanced up into his blue eyes, Kaiba blinked and shook his head slightly. "You really weren't lying when you said you could cook," he commented.

* * *

Two hours later, I sat watching the Domino City morning news, ready to bash in the television screen with the remote. I had watched this ridiculous show for an hour and a half, hoping to hear news of Yugi, only to be encumbered by the mindless drivel these people called entertainment.

"Now, Chef Baker will show us how to make a proper soufflé," the perky announcer said, and the camera cut to a man in a stereotypical white coat and hat. This pricked my attention, until, after watching the chef for a moment I leapt off the couch in anger. "No, you idiot! That's not the way to make the crust! It'll taste like it has crackers on top of it!" I shouted at the television.

An amused snort sounded from the back of the room. "You should call in," Kaiba commented dryly, and I flushed and sat back down. He sat beside me. "Any news of Yugi?" he asked.

"No. I'd have said something if there were," I sighed, relaxing into the cushions. "Instead, I've been stuck watching this idiot make mediocre soufflés."

Kaiba laughed at me- a carefree sound of genuine amusement, and I stared incredulously. His whole countenance seemed to change, and a brilliant smile revealed his even, white teeth. "You should do a cooking show. That would be hilarious," Kaiba told me, still grinning. "I can just see you, in your tight black clothes," (he plucked at my shirt and I blushed) "whipping up something incredible in five minutes, and the audience would just stare at you in amazement. Then you'd get mad and send them all to the Shadow Realm."

Kaiba laughed that wondrous laugh once more, and a slow grin spread across my features as well. "Yes, I suppose I'm not the most patient person, hmm?" I replied, watching him chuckle. He gave another snort at that and stood, stretching out his hand for me.

"Come on. Let's go for a walk or something, I'm bored," he said.

I took his hand hesitantly and he helped me stand; then I quickly tugged my hand out of his grip. "Don't you think we should keep watching in case anything comes on about Yugi?"

"No," Kaiba replied, already at the front door. "That would be the top story, so if it wasn't on in the first ten minutes it isn't going to be. You've been wasting your time." He gave me his traditional smirk and motioned outside with a sweeping gesture. Scowling, I strode past him, and he followed me with a hand on the small of my back. I blinked, blushing at the gesture, but Kaiba had already turned away, locking the door behind him.

"You're overreacting. He didn't mean anything by it, idiot," I muttered to myself under my breath.

"Hm? What was that?" Kaiba asked, catching up with me as I walked down the driveway.

"Nothing. I was just calling myself an idiot," I replied, smiling self-deprecatingly.

"Oh, because you watched the news for too long? You're just worried about Yugi; I would've done the same thing for Mokuba," Kaiba reassured me, but he smirked anyway. Then he glanced around and added, "This is the way to the highway. It'd be more interesting to go in the woods; let's go that way."

He pointed, guiding me again by the small of my back, and I fought down a flush. To me, that always seemed like a gesture for couples or close friends; but Kaiba wasn't really the type to date, or make friends, either, so I suppose that didn't apply to him. Besides, he was probably the best friend I had at the moment...

Kaiba led me to a wide pathway at the edge of his well-kept lawn, and I glanced up at him, taking a deep breath. "Kaiba? Thank you. For letting me stay here, and for not believing that I hurt Yugi," I said.

Kaiba pulled his hand away, crossing his arms and snorting as we walked side-by-side. "Like I'd believe anything those idiots believe," he scoffed, and gave me a tiny smile.

I suppose that was his version of "you're welcome."

I followed Kaiba to a wooden bench overlooking a scummy pond. We sat companionably close, but I made sure not to touch him. "Ugh, that green scum all over the water is disgusting. I think your pond is polluted," I told Kaiba.

"It's algae, stupid. Haven't you ever seen a pond before?" Kaiba said, rolling his eyes. At my blank expression, he explained, "It's a plant. Fish eat it. Go to school, or at least watch some nature shows."

"Ancient Egyptian spirit, remember? I lived in a Puzzle around Yugi's neck; and I didn't pay much attention when his teachers taught him about algae, if they ever did..." I drifted off sadly, thinking of Yugi.

"How did he disappear, anyway?" Kaiba asked softly. He hesitantly squeezed my shoulder, but quickly pulled his hand away again.

I smiled to myself at Kaiba's awkward comforting gesture. He actually comforted me much more by being his typical arrogant self, not that he knew that. "Well, Bakura- the tomb robber, not Ryou Bakura –did some kind of spell that separated him from Ryou and me from Yugi. One moment, we were sleeping as usual, but when I woke up both he and the Sennen Puzzle were gone." I sighed dejectedly and continued, "I never even got to see his expression when he realized we were two separate people. It would've been priceless..."

Kaiba's hand moved back to my shoulder, and I glanced at his face, trying to keep the tears shimmering in my eyes from escaping. "I...I don't know how they could think I'd do anything to him. I'm going crazy wondering if he's hurt, or _dead_, or if he'll ever come back!" I choked, and the tears fell, streaming down in torrents. It was the first time I'd cried over Yugi.

"Shh," Kaiba whispered, and his arm slid around my back. I leaned my face into his shoulder, trying to quiet my sobs. "I'm sure he's fine. He probably just got scared when he saw you and ran off before you woke up," Kaiba ventured.

I immediately stopped crying and sat straight up at this new idea. "Do you think so?" I gasped, hope lighting my wet features.

"Well, it was probably a shock," Kaiba shrugged. "He may have already come home."

"How would we know?" I asked thoughtfully. Kaiba grinned and stood, offering me his hand. I took it, watching him curiously, and he tugged me from the bench.

"Come on. I have an idea."


	2. Chapter 2

Good Lord, people actually like this story. I'd decided it was boring, so after I posted I went back to delete it before anyone read it, but I already had a review. Heh, please don't kill me... (dodges rotten fruit from Seto's fridge) I promise I'll finish posting. The story's finished, but I'm still revising, so if anyone has any food they'd like Yami to cook, just tell me and I'll try to include it. Otherwise they will probably be mostly Southern US-type foods because that's what I know the most about (I'm from Alabama).

There were really too many reviews for me to think of a witty reply for each of you... So thanks to everyone who reviewed. Oh, and those of you who asked what happened to Yugi- hah. Like I'd tell you now. That's the only thread of plot tying this fluffball together. lol But, I will say this: there are two major hints in chapter 1, but one of them is a red herring, so read carefully...

**Warnings**: OOCness, and shameless, blatant flirting. And Mokuba has a dirty mind.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 2

"Kame Game Shop. Sugoroku Mutou speaking," Jiichan's voice said through the speakerphone. Kaiba glanced at me, placing a finger to his lips. I hovered behind him anxiously while he sat at the desk in his study, and we both stared at the phone as he spoke.

"Hello, Mr. Mutou, this is Seto Kaiba."

"_Kaiba_? What do _you _want?" Jiichan gasped incredulously. "Er...That is... I mean, how may I help you, young man?"

Kaiba groaned under his breath at Jiichan's reaction before replying. "I'd like to speak with Yugi, please. I have some questions about his god cards; I'm working on designs for my virtual game, and no one else I know has a copy of those three cards."

"Kaiba, you're brilliant!" I breathed in his ear. He smirked proudly but silenced me with a look.

"Oh..." Jiichan breathed quietly. "I'm sorry, Kaiba. Yugi has... has gone out of town for a few days. I'll have him call you back. Goodbye." We caught a choked sound before Jiichan hung up.

I turned to Kaiba sadly. "He still hasn't come back, then. But...but that doesn't necessarily mean you were wrong. So...thanks," I told him, and hugged him quickly where he sat. Kaiba stared at me in surprise and I suddenly found myself blushing under his gaze.

"I think I'll go make us lunch," I muttered and hurried from the room.

* * *

Kaiba stayed in his study, working, until I knocked quietly on the door. "Lunch is ready," I told him, hovering in the doorway. Kaiba didn't bother to answer me, just rudely shoved past me and stomped down the stairs. Pictures on the wall clattered in their frames and the floor quaked under his steps.

"Why are you stomping? Are you mad about something?" I asked curiously, running to catch up with him.

"No. I just felt like making noise. It's too quiet without Mokuba running around," he explained, and smirked a little.

I laughed. "Kaiba, you're weird," I informed him and he scowled, but I ignored him as a thought occurred to me. "Does Mokuba visit often?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes, he's been spending the weekends here. Why?" Kaiba replied.

"Today's Thursday... I guess I could hide out somewhere for a couple of days," I mused to myself.

"What are you talking about, Yami?" Kaiba groaned, staring at me in disbelief.

"Mokuba's coming. No one's supposed to know where I am, remember? Yugi-tachi might have already told the police to be looking for me," I sighed.

"Mokuba won't tell. Besides, they haven't called the police, or the old man wouldn't have told me Yugi was out of town," Kaiba answered- very slowly, as if I were an idiot.

"Well..." I hesitated. "Maybe I should head out anyway. It probably isn't safe for me to stay in one place very long...if somebody found me..." I bit my lip worriedly, watching his expressionless face.

Kaiba sat at the table and took a huge bite of his sandwich before answering. "Don't be an idiot, Yami. No one's going to find you here; and besides, if you leave, who would cook for me?" Kaiba grinned mischievously and I gave him an indulgent smile in return, rolling my eyes.

"Seto, you're hopeless," I sighed, and turn my attention to my lunch.

* * *

The next morning I decided to clean the house, since I was hopelessly bored and Mokuba was coming over that afternoon anyway. As I leaned over the washing machine, pulling out one of Kaiba's heavy trench coats, a pair of hands suddenly grabbed my waist and pinched, hard.

I screamed and jumped backward, tumbling all over Kaiba, who stood behind me laughing hysterically. "That was mean," I grumbled.

"But it was funny," he smirked, and pushed me aside, tugging his clothes from the washing machine and tossing them carelessly into the dryer. "Why were you doing my laundry?" he asked. "Do you want to be my maid, after all?"

"No," I grumbled, scowling. "I was just bored. Besides, you have a lot more laundry than I do," I added, plucking at my black outfit. He straightened and eyed me thoughtfully.

"Hm. I guess you do need more clothes. Especially pajamas," he grinned at the memory of me in his long, cotton pants.

"Well, it doesn't matter, because I can't really go to town anyway," I called over my shoulder. I picked up some glass cleaner and a cloth from where I had laid them on the coffee table and started washing the windows in the living room. After a moment, I reached up to clean the top of the glass, stretching on my tiptoes, but I heard a slight sound behind me and whirled around before Kaiba could pinch me again. He crossed his arms innocently and I rolled my eyes. "Well, are you just going to follow me around or do you want to help?" I snapped, and held out the cloth.

"I don't particularly want to help, thanks," Kaiba retorted drolly, giving me a half-smile. "Mokuba will just mess everything up again this afternoon."

I sighed. "Maybe. But there's nothing better to do."

Kaiba broke into a full-fledged grin. "Yes, there is. Come with me." He grabbed my hand and tugged me out the door, quickly locking it behind him. Kaiba kept holding my hand until we had made it down the driveway all the way to the sidewalk beside the road. "Sorry, I don't have any of my cars with me. This is just a little town, so I can walk everywhere. I figured it would be a nice change for me," Kaiba explained.

"I don't care about that... But where are we going?" I asked worriedly. "I don't think anyone should see me." I bit my lip and glanced around cautiously.

"Don't be stupid," Kaiba snorted. "No one is looking for you, and even if they were, no one around here would notice. People in this godforsaken truck stop disguised as a town don't pay attention to anything except the weather."

I reluctantly kept walking beside him, checking every minute or so to see if we were being followed. After a five-minute walk, we came to a tiny general store with a decrepit sign above it that read "Bay City Grocery." I glanced in askance at Kaiba, who shrugged.

"I think Bay was someone's name. That or they're complete idiots, since this place is nowhere near the ocean."

I grinned at this and let Kaiba lead me inside. He guided me by the small of my back to the front counter, where an old lady with gigantic glasses and purple age spots on her face sat behind the cash register. "Hello Mae," he greeted her.

"Well, hi there, young man," she croaked. "Would you like me to pick out some groceries for you again?" I raised my eyebrow questioningly at Kaiba, but he merely gave me a blank stare. "And who is this handsome young fellow?" Mae continued, peering owlishly at me through her glasses.

I blushed and Kaiba smirked. "This is my friend, Yami. He's going to give you a list of groceries, and I'd appreciate it if you would get everything he tells you and have it delivered to my house. We'll be home in about an hour," he said, and the two of them looked at me expectantly.

"Kaiba, you could have given me a little more warning," I grumbled.

Mae clucked admonishingly at me. "Now, Yami, dear, you shouldn't talk that way. Calling your friends by their last names, honestly!" she scolded.

Kaiba and I rolled our eyes at her, and I quickly rattled off a list of foods we might need. Kaiba added a few junk food items for Mokuba, and the two of us hurried out of the store to escape Mae, who called after us, "Bye now, you handsome dearies! Remember, be nice to each other!"

I made a face at Kaiba as soon as we were out on the street, and he launched once again into that wonderful laugh of genuine amusement. As I stared, listening to him, he grabbed my hand and pulled me behind him, still laughing heartily. He let go after a few steps and continued down the cracked sidewalk, but I stopped, feeling a bit starstruck. Why didn't I sound like that when I laughed? And he didn't always laugh that way- only when he _really_ felt amused, or happy...

"Yami, what are you doing? Come on!" Kaiba called, already a long distance ahead. I blinked out of my stupor and ran after him.

"Where are we going now?" I asked.

"It's time to pick Mokuba up from school. I would get you some pajamas, but there's really nowhere to buy them out here. You'll just be stuck wearing my clothes a while longer," Kaiba sighed.

"That's okay, Seto, don't worry about it," I replied. Actually, I had gotten used to wearing his over-long pajamas, and didn't really object to them anymore... I liked the smell of cinnamon.

"You listened to Mae, hm?" Kaiba smirked.

"Huh? What?" I asked, confused.

"Calling me by my first name," he clarified. "You remember- 'calling your friends by their last names, honestly!'" Kaiba sneered; imitating the old woman's croaking voice.

"Oh. Haven't I called you Seto before?" I mused distantly, thinking of what Kaiba and Mae had said in the grocery store.

"Maybe. I don't remember." Kaiba paused in front of a large brick building with swarms of children running out the door; and a bobbing black head saw us and waved frantically. "Hello, Mokuba!" Kaiba called to his brother.

"Seto, can I ask you something?" I questioned as we watched Mokuba approach. "Did you mean it when you told Mae I was your friend? I mean...am I your friend?" I asked curiously.

"I don't have friends," Kaiba replied indifferently, and I looked at the ground, not daring to meet his eyes. He leaned over to hug Mokuba as the excited boy pounded his way toward us, and when his face was level with my ear, Kaiba added quietly, "or, at least I didn't before."

* * *

Mokuba shoved another piece of chicken in his mouth and groaned happily. "Yami, will you live with us forever?" he pleaded. I blushed and turned back to frying hand-breaded chicken tenders. Since Mokuba was a kid, I had decided to divert from my generally healthy meals, and made fried chicken and potatoes. Both Kaiba brothers had devoured the junk, despite Seto's protests that he only ate junk food because Mokuba wanted it.

"What I don't understand," Kaiba told Mokuba, "is how he cooks so _fast_. Did you see him whip up that breading? It took about three seconds."

"Maybe he uses Shadow Magic," Mokuba suggested.

"No, he doesn't have the Sennen Puzzle now," Kaiba replied. I made an involuntary choked gasp at the reminder of Yugi, and Kaiba dropped his fork with a clatter. "Sorry," he muttered, watching me with his intense blue gaze.

"Seto, what..." Mokuba started, but I quickly set more food in front of him and he broke off, distracted. I frowned at Kaiba over Mokuba's head; we'd agreed not to say anything about Yugi's disappearance, not wanting to worry Mokuba. He gave me an apologetic shrug and I nodded, turning off the stove. I busied myself cleaning up the counter and tried not to think of Yugi.

Suddenly I felt a hand slide gently across my waist as Seto moved past me and I jumped. The pan in my hands clattered to the floor, and Kaiba cocked an eyebrow at me inquisitively (Mokuba was still occupied with dinner). "You...you startled me. What are you doing?" I asked, in a slightly higher than normal pitch.

Kaiba smiled briefly and held up his empty glass. He dramatically pushed it into the opening in the side of the refrigerator and let it fill with water, and then maneuvered past me once more and sat at the table, rolling his eyes.

I blushed.

"Yami, aren't you going to eat?" Mokuba asked, eyeing the last of the potatoes.

"No, thank you, Mokuba. I don't care much for fried foods," I replied, wrinkling my nose a bit as I washed the pan.

"You're not eating _anything_?" Mokuba pressed, and I sighed. My stomach was tied in nervous knots after the reminder of Yugi, and Kaiba's hand on my waist definitely hadn't done much to calm it. "Well?" Mokuba persisted.

"Maybe later," I said. "My stomach feels a little upset right now."

"You're sick?" Seto asked, eyeing me carefully.

"No, just stress, I think," I replied, communicating my worry with my eyes. He nodded in understanding.

"Stress? About what?" Mokuba asked curiously. Seto gave him a stern glare.

"Mokuba, finish eating and wash the rest of the dishes. Yami and I will be in the living room when you're done," he said.

"Aww, why do I have to do the dishes?" Mokuba whined.

"Because you ate most of the food," Kaiba smirked in reply. He stood and motioned for me to exit, but as I passed him he put his arm around my shoulders, so that his hand curled gently around my collarbone, and walked beside me into the living room.

My eyes widened and a flush crept up my cheeks; I didn't dare look him in the face. Why did he keep touching me? Oh right, we were friends now...I think. But, whenever Yugi-tachi had touched me, I was never so aware of their every movement- I could feel every slight twitch Seto's fingers made against my shoulder, and his arm felt burning hot.

That was just strange.

Kaiba sat beside me on the couch and (finally) pulled his arm away. We silently watched the news for a few minutes, half-listening to Mokuba's grumbling from the next room, until Seto gave a soft sneeze. "Bless you," I said automatically, glancing over at him. He rubbed his nose with a long, slender finger, and tiny wrinkles appeared on the sides of his nose. I watched them disappear, fading back into smooth skin; and then I blinked and looked away, realizing I was staring. It wasn't just his touch- I was aware of _every_ movement Kaiba made.

Again, strange.

"Seto, I don't feel very well after all. I'm going to bed," I told him, standing quickly. He glanced at me worriedly and stood as well.

"Are you alright? There's some medicine in the bathroom; I'll get it for you. It's your stomach, right?" He started to leave the room, but I stopped him with a hand on his arm. Seto looked down at my hand and I quickly yanked it away. He frowned. "Yami, what..."

"I'm fine," I said hastily. "I just need to lie down. Would you please watch the news for me? Just...just in case..."

He nodded reluctantly. "If you're sure," he told me; then shouted, "Mokuba! Yami's going to bed! Say goodnight!"

"Good night!" Mokuba yelled, over the sound of splashing, and I chuckled at the pair.

"Good night, Mokuba. Good night, Seto," I told them. Kaiba gave me a friendly grin, which I shakily returned before heading to my room on quaking legs.

* * *

After lying in bed for several hours, wondering where Yugi was, wondering what was happening with Yugi-tachi, and especially wondering why I kept reacting so strangely to Kaiba, I gave up on trying to sleep and padded, barefoot, downstairs. I curled up on the couch in the living room, tugging a blanket from a nearby chair and rolling up in it. Yawning, I turned on the television and flipped through the channels, finally stopping when I saw a chef who actually looked like he knew what he was doing.

I watched, fascinated, as the man made different types of fancy desserts, and I was so engrossed in the show that Kaiba's voice didn't even startle me. "What are you watching?" he asked. I glanced up briefly to see Seto leaning over the back of the couch, with his long blue robe hanging open over his shoulders.

"Cooking show. Want to watch with me?" I asked, turning my attention back to the chef, who was pouring filling into chocolate moulds. Seto slipped onto the other end of the couch, lifting my feet momentarily before sliding under them and propping them in his lap. I yawned widely and he rested his arm over my ankles.

"You're tired," Seto observed. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"I tried to sleep, but I just couldn't," I frowned. "Too much on my mind, I suppose. Why aren't _you_ in bed?"

"I couldn't sleep, either," he replied briefly, scrutinizing my face. I shifted, resting my head on the arm of the sofa, and looked away from him. The television chef had switched from desserts to entrées and had begun a shrimp salad, which he inevitably ruined.

"No, no, NO!" I grumbled, shaking my head and gesticulating wildly. "That salad is completely wrong! What an idiot; he should actually arrange the shrimp so that..." I paused, mid-rant. Kaiba was laughing again, that beautiful laugh I'd heard only twice before, and a brilliant smile lit his face. I gave a quavering smile in return and relaxed against the cushions, listening to him. "Sorry, I got carried away," I apologized when he stopped laughing.

"No, don't be. Watching you is more interesting than watching the show," he drawled, smirking roguishly.

I blushed and fastened my eyes to the television screen, grumbling as the man continued to destroy a perfectly good shrimp salad. After a moment, Kaiba's arm shifted on my ankles. I glanced at him in askance, and he began rolling up my pants legs where they had fallen loose, covering my feet. "These are way too long. I'll have to let you cut up a pair or two, since we can't get you any clothes yet," he commented.

I grinned. "So I can keep them?" I asked, and he nodded. I gave a little involuntary cheer, and Seto raised an eyebrow. "I like them," I explained, a little embarrassed. He chuckled again momentarily, in a brief echo of _that_ laugh, and poked my bare foot with his slender index finger.

"I'll get you some pants like these, then, when we go back to the city," Seto said, and leaned back against the cushions, closing his eyes. He idly traced my ankle with his index finger.

I closed my eyes too, relaxing under his touch, and muttered under my breath, "It wouldn't be the same." Then I blanched, realizing something, and whipped my eyes open. "Kaiba, when are you and Mokuba moving back to Domino?" I asked.

"In about three weeks, when his school term ends," Kaiba replied, yawning. His eyes were still closed and he slowly rubbed my foot, massaging it with his thumb. I forced myself not to think about his touch and asked, "What will I do then?"

"Come with me, of course," he replied, smiling to himself. Finally he cracked open one eye and glanced at me. "Who else would cook eggs for me?" he asked innocently.

I chuckled at that and closed my eyes again, and Seto went back to tracing my ankles with his warm fingers. "I'll have to remember to make eggs for breakfast tomorrow," I murmured, before sinking into a deep sleep.

* * *

I awoke to something poking me hard in the side. I grumbled and shifted, and it jabbed me again, harder. "Yami, wake up!" a voice hissed. Blearily, I opened my eyes to see Mokuba's fuzzy black head looming over me.

"Mokuba? What's going on?" I mumbled. He chuckled softly and winked at me before replying, "That's what I'd like to know."

"Huh?" I said intelligently, yawning and stretching my arms over my head. I was still on the couch.

"What did you do to him?" Mokuba asked, snickering, and pointed to the other end of the couch where my feet rested. Kaiba lay there, still in a mostly upright position, with his legs stretched across the carpet and his head lolling against the back of the couch. My blanket covered most of his lap and he loosely held my legs. One of his hands had snaked up my pant leg nearly to my knee, and he grinned slightly in his sleep.

My eyes widened and I stuttered incoherently. "I...I didn't...nothing," I stuttered stupidly.

Mokuba snickered again. "Why is his hand up your pants?" he asked in feigned innocence.

"MOKUBA! It is NOT!" I gasped, jerking my legs from Seto's lap. Why did Mokuba have to make it sound so...dirty? "We just fell asleep watching television," I explained.

"Sure," Mokuba replied wisely, winking at me. I glared at him and escaped to the bathroom. His laughter followed me the entire way.

* * *

A/N: (snickers) I can just see Mokuba asking that... And one more thing about Yugi- Yami definitely hasn't forgotten about him, and neither has Seto. But Yami is trying to be happy in his new situation, at least as much as he can, so don't expect him to be upset all the time...although he definitely is still struggling with Yugi's disappearance, not to mention Yugi-tachi's doubting him.

Please review! Even if it's just to yell at me for almost deleting this...


	3. Chapter 3

I'm back with Chapter 3! And I feel sufficiently guilty for almost deleting this (hangs head in shame). I really just thought no one would like it, since all I talk about is food and domestic things like that. But then I got 30 reviews for the first 2 chapters! How did _that_ happen?! (scratches head) So, thanks to everyone for reviewing, and thanks to MCG for the recipe. I know just where I'll put it in.

Now read, review and enjoy!

**Warnings**: OOCness and poor Yami suffers even more. And Seto eats eggs again.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 3 

I remembered my promise to Seto and made eggs for breakfast that morning- scrambled, with toast and jam for Mokuba, and eggs Benedict for Seto and myself. He gave me a brilliant, grateful smile when he saw them, and I blushed at Mokuba's knowing smirk.

I picked at my food, not really hungry, and watched the two brothers thoughtfully. They were so much alike- annoying sometimes, headstrong, and brilliant; but where Mokuba was still childish and awkward, Seto was graceful, every action under perfect control. Nothing he did was ever by accident (except maybe when he thought I was Mokuba that night).

"Not hungry again, Yami?" Mokuba asked hopefully. I shook my head and pushed my plate toward him, but Kaiba put his hand firmly over mine. He lifted my hand from the plate and pushed my food back in front of me.

"You have to eat something. You haven't eaten since lunchtime yesterday," Seto said. He rubbed my palm ever so slightly with the pad of his thumb before dropping my hand.

"But Mokuba's still hungry, and I don't feel..."

"Mokuba can make himself a sandwich if he's that desperate, and you'll just feel worse if you don't eat," Seto interrupted firmly. "Now _please_ eat something."

I stared at the eggs for a moment, but the thought of putting something in my stomach just felt wrong. It was already full; the knots had taken over. Worry over Bakura's spell, grief at the betrayal of Yugi-tachi, Mokuba embarrassing me, hiding everything from Mokuba, having to run away, Yugi disappearing, and whatever was happening with Kaiba... It made quite an impressive list, and there just wasn't room for anything else right now, especially not food.

It's strange how sometimes things hit you all of a sudden, without warning. I had cried only once before- that day on the bench with Kaiba, when he had talked with me and comforted me the best way he knew. But now... now I stared nauseously at a plate full of eggs and the tears just came. They flooded my face, and I started sobbing convulsively and uncontrollably, right there at the breakfast table.

"What the..." Seto gasped. "Yami, what in the world? What's wrong?" I just kept sobbing; gasping and sniffing through cracks in the hands I had thrown over my face. Seto reached out his arm, but I shied away from it like a frightened colt, and I saw Mokuba blanch through the corner of my tear-flooded eye.

"Yami... I was just kidding; I know nothing happened," Mokuba whispered. A very slight weight lifted from my heart, and I briefly lowered my hands. "No...it's not your fault, that's not...that's not..." I stuttered, but once again hysterical sobs racked my body and I shuddered.

Seto narrowed his eyes at the two of us. "Mokuba, go to your room. I'll talk to you later," he ordered. "NOW!" he shouted sternly when Mokuba hesitated, and Mokuba scurried away.

By this time, I had calmed my breathing, but tears still streamed down my cheeks. I sat rigidly in my chair, squeezing my eyes shut, but the salty liquid still escaped from under my eyelids. I heard Seto shift beside me and I flinched but kept my eyes clenched shut. Hesitant fingers swiped the wet tracks from my cheeks, and I ducked my head, letting my eyes slide open.

Seto knelt, blue eyes shining with worry, so that his face was level with mine. His hands were on my cheeks, and the pads of his thumbs swept away my continuous flow of tears. My breath hitched and I scooted back in the chair. Seto lowered his hands reluctantly, and disappointment and confusion joined worry in his eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked in a low, rumbling whisper.

"No. No," I replied emphatically. "Mokuba...he saw us this morning, and your hand was...you slid your hand up my...you were..." I stuttered. That sentence sounded worse with every attempt.

Kaiba started to laugh, and I looked at him hopefully, but this laugh was wry and bitter. "Oh. I see," he said, standing. "I'll go talk to him. And I'm sorry for making you feel so uncomfortable." He turned to go and something clicked in my head. Did he think we were...that he had...?

"NO!" I shouted, and Seto stared at me incredulously. "No, what?" he asked. I jumped up and grabbed his hand in both of mine. "No, you don't understand. Mokuba saw us sleeping on the couch together, and you still had your hands on my legs, and he was teasing me about it. But that wasn't why I was crying, that was because of Yugi," I explained breathlessly, squeezing his hand tightly.

Emotions flitted through his deep blue eyes and he smiled sadly. "Oh. Yugi. Of course," he murmured. I narrowed my eyes questioningly at his tone, vaguely realizing that my tears had stopped.

"Seto... I'm sorry for overreacting. I guess everything just caught up with me," I sighed. "I feel like one of those stupid girls who cry over nothing just to get attention." Reddening slightly, I looked away and tried to pull my hands from their grip on Seto's, but he rested his other hand over them.

"It's not nothing. Come on," he said. He dropped my hands and led me out of the room by the small of my back.

* * *

"Kame Game Shop. Sugoroku Mutou speaking." 

"Mr. Mutou, this is Seto Kaiba. It is extremely important for me to speak with Yugi, and he never called me back. Would you please put him on the phone NOW?" Kaiba snapped.

"Kaiba, you don't have to be so rude," Jiichan sighed. "He's...he's still out of town."

"You're lying," Kaiba pressed. "Why won't you let me speak to him? I just want to ask him some questions."

Jiichan took a shuddering breath, obvious even through the speakerphone. "He's not here, alright? Yugi ran away..." Jiichan started crying, and I opened my mouth to attempt to comfort him, but Seto put a hand over my lips.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mutou. I hope he comes back soon; if he does, would you please let me know?" Seto said, and gave Jiichan his phone number. Seto hung up the phone and slipped his hand away from my face. "Well, at least he says Yugi ran away instead of that you kidnapped him," Seto offered, and I smiled wryly.

"I wonder what Yugi-tachi are thinking," I sighed. Seto leaned forward in his chair and hugged me lightly.

"They don't think," he replied, and I laughed, instantly feeling better.

* * *

Mokuba clung to my waist, cutting off my air supply, as Seto tried to pry him away. It was Sunday afternoon and we had taken Mokuba back to school- or, at least we were trying to. Mokuba howled loudly as he clutched at me, and the other returning students were beginning to stare at the strange scene. "Mokuba, you're too old for this," Seto grumbled, and fat tears started to roll down his little brother's face. 

"I don't want to go to school anymore! I want to stay with you and Yami!" he wailed.

"Mokuba, you'll see us next Friday, and there are only three more weeks until your term ends," Kaiba sighed.

"I don't care! I can't stay there, I'll starve to death!" Mokuba sulked, squeezing me tighter.

"Ah, now we come to the heart of the problem," Kaiba said dryly. "Although I must say I don't blame you, Mokuba."

I blushed to the roots of my hair and gently pried Mokuba's arms loose. "I'll make something for you and bring it to your school this week," I promised, and Mokuba's face lit up.

"Really? Thank you so much!" he chirped. He hugged me again and ran off into the building, giving Seto a brief wave.

Kaiba watched his brother disappear; then turned to me with an amused expression. "I wonder if I should be jealous," he observed, grinning at me.

"Of course. I like Mokuba much more than you," I replied loftily, deliberately misunderstanding him. He laughed heartily and I stared at him, grinning, until he gave me a little push down the sidewalk; and we walked home side-by-side, each engrossed by our own thoughts.

* * *

Seto unlocked the door and went upstairs to work in his study, and I turned on the television and sifted through various cooking shows until I found one worthwhile. After half an hour or so, Seto came back downstairs and silently settled beside me. I gave him a brief glance and returned my attention to the television, but I could feel my neck prickle as he watched me. 

"_What_?" I finally sighed, growing tired of this.

"I was waiting for you to yell at her. But you never did," Seto replied, sounding disappointed.

"I'm trying to restrain myself," Iretorted dryly. "Besides, she knows what she's doing."

"Oh." Seto and I watched television for a moment before I felt his gaze on me again. I turned to him expectantly, raising an eyebrow.

"What _now_?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering..." Seto trailed off, examining me, his eyes hidden under his thick brown bangs, until I cleared my throat. "I was wondering... Do you love Yugi?" he asked.

I blinked in surprise; I'd expected him to say 'I was wondering if you'd make me some eggs.' "Well, yes, of course I do," I replied slowly. "You love Mokuba, don't you?"

"No, that's not what I meant," he said, brushing the hair out of his face. "I mean; do you _love_ him? Like that?"

A furious blush spread across my cheeks and I stuttered. "K-Kaiba! No! Why would you ask something like _that_?"

He shrugged. "You get so upset whenever you think about him," Seto replied simply.

I reached over and laid my hand on top of his. "Seto, he's family. Yugi's like my little brother," I explained. "I can't help worrying about him, but I definitely don't feel that way about him."

Seto grinned and slipped his hand from under mine, sliding it over my shoulders instead. "Good. He's too short for you anyway," he quipped, and I groaned.

"I think I'll go make dinner now."

* * *

The house was strangely silent as I cooked, and I understood why Seto had stomped down the stairs that day. Mokuba certainly changed the atmosphere. I hummed tunelessly under my breath while I chopped cucumbers, and after a moment I heard a slight sound in the doorway. "Oh. Hi, Seto, I thought you were watching television," I said, glancing up momentarily. 

"It's too quiet," he complained, gravitating toward me.

"Yes, I know what you mean," I replied vaguely, opening the oven to check on the chicken. I pulled out the pan and quickly sprinkled herbs over the two chicken breasts before sliding them back inside.

"That looks good," Seto said, suddenly right over my shoulder. I jumped a little and he grinned. "Can I help? I don't have anything else to do," he added.

"I feel so important," I commented dryly, but handed him a salad bowl and a head of lettuce. "Here. Tear this," I said, and began chopping tomatoes while I watched Seto from the corner of my eye. He slowly tore one lettuce leaf from the bunch and started ripping it into tiny pieces.

I had to laugh. "No, like this," I explained, ripping loose a handful of lettuce leaves and deftly tearing them into perfectly even pieces, just the right size for a salad.

"Never mind. I think I'll just watch you," Kaiba sulked, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms. I laughed at him and quickly finished making the salad and mixing my own dressing. Then I let out a little breath and leaned against the counter beside Seto.

"Tired?" he asked.

"A little. I always move faster when I'm cooking," I replied.

"I'd noticed," he said in amusement. "I love watching you cook," he added, staring fixedly into my flushed face. Suddenly he seemed too close. I blinked and backed away quickly, opening the oven and peering inside.

"The chicken should be done in about twenty minutes; we just have to wait now. I'm going...I'm going outside- I think I need some fresh air," I said hurriedly, and rushed out the door.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I shut the door behind me, and rested against the rough bricks of the house. Gazing up into the hazy night sky, I wondered vaguely why I'd run from Kaiba just now; he hadn't done anything, but somehow he just seemed so _close_, and I had to get away from him. Maybe I just wanted some time alone.

I slid down the wall so that I sat on the ground, with my back resting against the house. Crickets chirped harmoniously around me and the full moon lent its ethereal beauty to the lonesome country home. This place really was peaceful- the perfect escape from everyday problems; which, of course, was exactly why I was here in the first place. I smiled to myself and closed my eyes.

* * *

"...don't care! Just do it!" 

I heard a shout and woke with a jolt. Moonlight seeped in through my bedroom curtains and the house was quiet.

Momentarily.

"I'm perfectly aware of the time, thank you! I need this done tomorrow! ...Yes, it's that important... I don't care what it sounds like..."

Seto's voice rang out through the hallway and into my open door. I raised myself to a sitting position, propped on my elbows, and my coverlet slid to the ground. I realized that I still wore my clothes and had been sleeping on top of my bedcovers, wrapped in a blanket.

"No, don't stop the investigation! Can't you do two things at once, Roland? You have- well, I-don't-know-how-many people under you, this is..."

I distantly listened to Seto yelling at his employees and slid out of the bed. The last thing I remembered was going outside; I don't think I even finished dinner. Then how did I get here? I tripped over my shoes, resting side-by-side at the foot of the bed, and moved them to the closet, searching my memory.

"FINE! I'll do it myself! Just have someone pick me up in a few hours."

Ah. Seto, of course. Yawning, I padded down the hall to his study. As I peered in the doorway he hung up the phone, shaking his head and muttering to himself.

"Trouble?" I asked, grinning, in a voice still husky with sleep. He jerked his head up in surprise.

"Yami! You should be in bed; it's 4:00 in the morning," Seto said.

"Well, someone was shouting and it woke me up," I replied, rolling my eyes. I strode over to Seto's desk and stood beside him, leaning my back against the desk corner. "Thank you for not letting me sleep outside. I'm sorry I didn't finish making dinner," I told him.

"You did. I just took it out of the oven when you said to," Seto replied dismissively. "Then I went outside to find you and you were snoring against the side of the house." He snickered and I swung a punch at his arm, embarrassed.

Seto deftly caught my hand before it hit him.

"What were you so upset with Roland about? What's the investigation?" I asked, changing the subject. I tugged on my hand but couldn't free it from his grasp.

"Nothing. Just work," Seto replied vaguely. "I'll be gone most of the day today; I should be back late in the afternoon. Roland and the rest of my employees don't have the sense to do anything, so I have some things to take care of."

"Oh... Alright, then," I said. What would I do by myself all day?

Seto gave my hand a light squeeze and finally dropped it. "You should go back to bed. I'm going to try to get a couple hours' sleep before I have to leave."

I nodded distantly and followed him out of the room, feeling inexplicably depressed.

* * *

I woke to the echoing sound of a car pulling out of the driveway and sat up with a gasp. I rushed to the window to see a limousine disappearing from view. So Kaiba had already left. And he didn't even say goodbye. 

I scowled and stalked to the bathroom, muttering to myself. Fifteen minutes later I emerged from the shower, still angry; but I had convinced myself that I was being unreasonable. Why should he wake me up just to say goodbye, when he would be back this afternoon anyway? I sighed and headed to the kitchen, deciding to make Mokuba's week's supply of junk food.

A sheet of paper lay on the table.

I rushed to it eagerly, beaming when I read what Seto had written:

_Dear Yami, I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye, but I couldn't bring myself to wake you up. I'll be back before dark, I promise; hopefully I can finish my business quickly. Have a good day. Love Seto_

Blushing furiously, I read the note several times before carefully placing it back on the table. I then proceeded to make a huge box full of food for Mokuba, grinning the entire time.

* * *

"I'm looking for Mokuba Kaiba; I told him I'd bring him some food," I told the secretary as I stood in the wide front hallway of Mokuba's school. My voice echoed through the marble-floored building and the secretary eyed me suspiciously. 

"You do realize that Mokuba is one of our high-security students. We can't give him food from someone we don't know," she informed me icily.

"I'm a friend of his," I replied, glaring at her.

"Well, how are we supposed to know..." Just then, the bell rang and students poured noisily into the hall. A familiar black head caught sight of me and raced over excitedly.

"Yami! Did you bring me some food?" Mokuba squealed. I nodded, showing him the box, and he hugged me happily. "Thank you so much! It's great to see you, too. Can you stay for a while?" He grabbed my hand and started to tug me away, but the secretary cleared her throat.

"You still have classes today, young man. And only family is allowed to visit students," she said sternly.

"Yami _is_ family! He lives with my big brother!" Mokuba protested, clinging to my hand.

The secretary's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Oh... I see," she replied weakly.

I blushed to the roots of my hair, realizing what Mokuba had implied. "N-no, you don't..." I stuttered, but she avoided my gaze.

"You may take the food, Mokuba, but your... your _friend_ still can't stay, since you aren't through with your classes for the day," she said.

Mokuba sighed and hugged me goodbye, eagerly taking the heavy box. "Wow, how much did you make?" he breathed, peering inside.

I shrugged. "It has to last you for a little while, and Seto was out of town today, so there wasn't much else for me to do," I replied. The secretary made a little choked sound in the back of her throat, and I blushed again. I hurriedly said goodbye to Mokuba and rushed out of the building.

My face stayed red the entire way home.


	4. Chapter 4

Heh, you guys are too smart for me. Either that or I'm getting more predictable. So, yes, there is definitely something suspicious about Seto's "investigation," but I won't tell you what it is... lol

Oh, for those of you who have read my long oneshot _In Sickness and in Health_, I had a request for a sequel, but I'd like to know what you all think before I attempt it. So, if you would, let me know in your review if I should write one or not, and why. Thanks a bunch!

**Warnings**: OOCness, and much, much more flirting. And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 4

I sat in Seto's study, disinterestedly playing games on his computer, when I heard the sound of a car in the driveway. I jumped up and rushed to the door just as Seto climbed from the driver's seat of a tiny silver convertible. At his back, a hazy sunset softly lit the horizon, and a few emerging stars twinkled in the darkening sky.

"Well, I said I'd be back before dark," Seto grinned when he saw me standing in the doorway. Beaming, I ran over and hugged him tightly, smelling cinnamon as I buried my face happily in his shirt. Seto laughed his glorious laugh and gently hugged me back. "Were you _that_ bored?" he teased.

"No. I visited Mokuba and brought him some food," I replied into his shirt. Then I backed away, reddening slightly when I realized what I was doing. "Sorry. I was just happy to see you," I mumbled.

"Of course you were," Kaiba replied in his most arrogant tone. I scowled and aimed a punch at his arm, but once again, he reflexively caught my hand. "I got you something," he told me smugly as I tugged furiously at my captured arm.

"What is it?" I asked eagerly, forgetting my struggle. He finally let go of my hand and opened the trunk of the car, digging out a few bags from designer stores.

"You needed new clothes," Seto replied. "I checked your sizes before I left..." He trailed off, watching me apprehensively as I opened the bags. He had bought me two pairs of black pants; a red short-sleeved shirt made of a silky material; another black sleeveless shirt, edged with silver; a black jacket; and a pair of black boots. The last bag held underwear, socks, and a pair of pajama pants exactly like Seto's, except about six inches shorter.

I smiled at that.

"I can get you something else if you don't like these, and I'll get you more clothes later, I just thought you needed something now," Seto told me, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. I grinned wider and dropped the bags, and impulsively threw my arms around him, squeezing him tightly in a grateful hug.

"They're wonderful; thank you so much!" I cried. Standing on my tiptoes, I kissed him lightly on the cheek. Then I grabbed the bags again and dragged them up to my room, beaming. Seto really had good taste, even if he did seem to prefer black.

I had just finished hanging the clothes in my closet and removing the tags (Seto had spent a fortune, by the way, not that he'd miss it) when Seto knocked on my open door. "Come in- are you alright?" I interrupted myself, seeing his red face. "You look flushed."

He nodded, and seemed to will the color from his cheeks. I'd like to learn that trick.

"Yami, I was wondering...that is to say, I thought maybe..." he gazed at me intently with his cerulean blue eyes and trailed off before he'd finished a coherent sentence.

"Huh?" I replied intelligently.

"Never mind," Seto amended quickly. He glanced around the room before returning his gaze to me. "Already put everything up?"

I nodded. "I'll wear them tomorrow, since it's already so late. What do you want for dinner? I'm sorry, I should've already started it, but I didn't know when you'd be home." I strode over to where he stood in the doorway and leaned against the doorpost. Seto still watched me with his bright blue eyes and I shifted, starting to feel a little uncomfortable. "Well? What do you want?" I pressed.

He blinked and brushed an escaped hair from my shoulder. "I have a car now. Do you want to go out somewhere?"

I could feel my face light up and he smiled. "I changed my mind. I think I will wear something new tonight, after all," I smirked, and pushed him out the door.

* * *

When I opened the bedroom door a few minutes later, wearing the red shirt and black jacket, Seto was still standing just outside my room, leaning against the wall. "You look nice," he commented, smirking at me. I scowled and aimed a halfhearted punch at his shoulder, but he caught my hand _again_.

I should really stop trying to hit him.

Seto let go of my hand immediately (for which I was exceedingly grateful) and I followed him to the little silver car. "I don't know where I could take you, since you're far more talented than any of the chefs around here," Seto mused. I rolled my eyes.

"I'll like anywhere you pick," I muttered, not looking at him. I still caught his brilliant white smile through the corner of my eye.

Seto drove in silence for a few minutes, and I hummed to myself under my breath while I watched the passing scenery. "How about something simple, then?" he eventually asked, glancing over at me.

"What? Oh, sure," I replied, slightly surprised by his sudden question.

"Good. Wait here," he ordered. Seto parked the car in front of a brightly lit Mom & Pop style restaurant and climbed out of the little convertible, and I started to follow him, but he motioned for me to stay seated with an impatient wave of his hand. He disappeared into the quaint little restaurant, styled to look like a log cabin.

"Why is he making me sit out here? I would've liked to eat there," I grumbled to no one. I watched a couple saunter to the door, arms wrapped around each other's waists, and sighed to myself. Crossing my arms and sulking, I stared at the door until Seto came back.

"What were you doing, Kaiba?" I grumbled as he strode over to me and leaned over the passenger side door.

He merely winked at me and grabbed the keys from the ignition, then opened my door and gestured for me to follow him. I climbed out of the car, scowling, and Seto shut the car door and wrapped his arm around my waist. I blushed, remembering the couple. "No need to get so upset, Yami," he snickered. "I just needed to arrange something."

"I'm not upset," I replied distantly. His arm was very warm. Seto grinned down at me and removed his arm, pushing the restaurant door open. An old, bent man hovered by the door with a pair of menus.

"Mr. Kaiba, right this way," he said politely, and led us through the bright, crowded restaurant. Seto and I had to dodge people and trays until we crossed the room and exited through a door in the back. The old man stopped on a wooden porch outside, open to the stars, where a table for two had been set up, lit only by two kerosene lamps hanging on the outside wall of the restaurant. Trees encircled the lawn, halted in their procession only by a tiny pond directly in front of the porch. Moonlight reflected on the water, and my breath hitched at the beautiful scene.

"I thought it would be nicer to eat out here," Seto breathed in my ear. The old man had disappeared.

"It's wonderful," I murmured, walking to the porch railing and leaning over it to see the water. "Thank you." I turned to look at Seto, who was silently observing me under his thick brown bangs. He smiled slightly and pulled out a chair, motioning for me to sit. I gingerly obeyed, and he pushed the chair under the table, letting his fingers linger against my shoulders for a moment.

Seto sat across from me at the table and picked up a menu. "This isn't a fancy restaurant, but I like it. I came here a few times before you moved in," he explained.

"'Chicken and dumplings'... 'Country-fried steak'... This really _is_ a simple restaurant," I remarked, smiling.

"Yes, they do live up to their image," Seto said dryly. "The chicken pot pie is my favorite," he added, glancing up at me. He kept his blue eyes on me for a long time until I shifted nervously under his scrutiny.

"Well, that sounds fine to me," I finally said. Seto nodded and snapped his fingers. A waiter appeared out of nowhere, carrying glasses of tea. He grabbed our menus and disappeared, giving a slight bow.

"That was odd," I remarked, staring after the man. Seto snickered. "Well he just came from nowh..." I began.

The waiter appeared again, cutting me off. He placed our food in front of us and disappeared again with another bow. "Okay, that was _really_ odd," I commented, staring at my plate. "How did they make that so fast?"

Seto flicked a piece of ice at me, and it caught in my hair. "Just eat it," he ordered shortly. I glared at him and dug through my thick hair for the ice, but it melted before I could find it and a trickle of water ran down the side of my face. Seto burst into his genuine laugh and I forgave him immediately, smiling happily at him.

I turned my attention to my plate and carefully tasted the food. The crust was a little too flaky, but overall it wasn't that bad. "Well, what do you think?" Seto asked curiously.

"It's wonderful," I assured him. He grinned proudly, and I smiled to myself.

We ate in silence for a few minutes until I had eaten all that I could and pushed the plate away. I glanced at Seto, who was still busy with his meal, and I stood slowly and walked to the porch railing. I watched the moonlight rippling on the water and sighed. This place was so beautiful; Seto's house was, too. A part of me wouldn't mind staying here forever, holed up with Seto in the quiet woods, but I had a feeling that I was running out of time. Mokuba and Seto were moving back to Domino in less than three weeks, and I would have to face Yugi-tachi again. If Yugi still hadn't come back...

"What's wrong?" Seto asked, leaning against the railing beside me. I silently noted the way the moonlight reflected across his face as I observed him thoughtfully before I finally replied.

"Did you mean it when you said that I could come back with you? When you leave here, I mean?" I asked cautiously.

"Why would you think I didn't?" He placed a hand on top of mine where it rested against the railing and twined our fingers together. I smiled faintly and we quietly watched the scenery for a moment before I spoke again.

"I don't know... I guess I'm just scared. What if Yugi is still gone when you go back to Domino? I'll have to face Yugi-tachi someday, and if you're not there, I'll... Well, I don't know if I could do it." I turned my face away, suddenly unable to look at him.

Seto released my fingers and ran his slender hand through my long blonde bangs. "I'll be there," he replied simply. I looked into his face once more, and something in his bright blue eyes made my breath hitch. He leaned forward, barely an inch from me, and I tilted my face toward his. Seto was going to kiss me...

This remarkable new thought raced through my head, and my heart thudded audibly, but I didn't pull away. Instead, I slipped my eyes shut, waiting for the pressure of his lips against mine. I _wanted_ him to kiss me. Why hadn't this occurred to me before? A small smile worked its way to my face as I stood frozen in that long, heart-stopping moment.

Seto kissed my forehead.

I wrenched open my eyes in disbelief, but Seto had moved back to the table, conversing with the waiter who had once again appeared. "You didn't want dessert, did you?" Seto called. I shook my head slowly and Seto nodded, handing the waiter some money. "Well, come on then," Seto said.

I just stared at him, mouth agape. He sighed and stalked over to me, grabbing my hand. "Yami, come _on_! We can't stay here all night; other people will want to use this table," he groaned, tugging on my hand.

I slipped from his grasp and dazedly walked through the restaurant, avoiding his gaze. Could I have been wrong? That was all I needed, to realize my feelings for the guy only to be rejected. Hesitantly I chanced a look at his face as we stepped outside once more. Seto grinned at me and slid an arm around my waist as we walked to the car, and I offered him a small smile and leaned against his side.

* * *

Once we got home, I bounded up the stairs to change clothes (the new clothes were still a little itchy) calling over my shoulder, "Thanks for dinner, Seto! It was fun."

"That's it? That's no way to thank a person for a nice dinner," he teased, languidly following me up the stairs.

I paused at the door to my room. "You're right," I mused thoughtfully, tapping my index finger against my chin. "Next time I make you one you'll have to think of something better." I stuck my tongue out at him childishly and slammed the bedroom door behind me. I could hear his laughter even through the heavy wood.

A few minutes later, I padded downstairs, barefoot and in my new pajamas. I settled on the couch, wrapping up in a blanket, and turned on the news, and Seto soon joined me, sipping on a can of soda. "Hey, where did you get that?" I asked, suddenly feeling parched. "I didn't know we had any soda."

"I keep some in a fridge in my room, where Mokuba can't get to them, but this is the last one anyway," he replied. I smiled widely at him and scooted closer. "No," he snapped, holding it away from me.

"Please? Can I just have a sip?" I begged, snuggling into his side. Seto grinned and put his arm around me, but shook his head. I stretched upward and planted a smacking kiss on his cheek. "_Please_?"

Well, even if that didn't work, I still got to kiss him. This was fun.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, just take it," he sighed, and handed me the can. I beamed and kissed his cheek again. He grumbled under his breath, but I noticed the smile tugging at his lips. I snuggled closer against his side.

We watched the news in silence after that, until the usual incompetent chef made his appearance. I gave an audible groan. Seto poked me in the nose with the hand that had been previously draped over my collarbone. "Want me to change the channel?" he asked teasingly.

"Yes, please," I sighed. "I don't know what I did with the remote, though."

"I have it. And I was just teasing; I think I'd like to watch this guy."

I scowled and tossed the empty soda can at his head. It missed by about three feet. "Great shot," he scoffed. I just frowned and rested my head back against his shoulder. Why did I like him, anyway?

The television chef announced that he would be preparing "simple chicken quesadillas." I breathed a sigh of relief- no one could possibly botch that. Much to my annoyance, however, all the idiotic chef did was fry chunks of chicken, then place the chicken between two tortillas, along with shredded cheese. After a couple of minutes, I couldn't handle his idiocy any longer, so I reluctantly crawled from under Seto's arm and stomped up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Seto called after me.

"I can't take any more of that," I grumbled, still stomping as hard as I could.

Seto laughed heartily. "Come back, please! I was just teasing you!" he shouted from the couch.

"I think I'll stay up here, thanks!" I snapped, and slammed the bedroom door behind me.

I paced across the floor angrily. Why _did_ I like Seto? He was always teasing and mocking me. Plus he probably couldn't care less about me; he tended to think of people as lower than scum. Except for me, that is... He'd said that he didn't have friends, _except for me_. Seto took me in when he found me lost and covered in mud. He held me when I cried and let me kiss him...

But he was still an arrogant jerk.

I turned off the lights, sighing, and flopped face down on the soft bed, half hoping to smother myself with the thick pillows. Then a quiet knock sounded on the door. "What do you want, Kaiba?" I muttered through the pillows.

I heard the door open and the bed sank slightly beside me. Seto ran his fingers gently through my hair and I buried my face deeper in the pillows. "Yami? Why are you so angry with me? What did I do?" he asked, pulling his hand away.

"Nothing," I mumbled.

"Huh?"

"NOTHING!" I shouted.

"What? I don't understand," Seto said slowly. I rolled over and gazed up into his brilliant eyes, which were now blinking in confusion.

"Nothing. You didn't do anything," I sighed. I couldn't tell him why I was really upset. "I...I was just frustrated with that stupid chef." I sat up, gesticulating wildly, and swung my legs over the bed so I was beside Seto. "He is so incompetent; he has absolutely _no_ idea what he's doing, let alone creativity! Everyone knows that you _have_ to use cilantro when you make quesadillas; and chili pepper too; that's what gives it the flavor! And he didn't even add any vegetables! What kind of chef..."

Seto suddenly leaned forward and kissed the tip of my nose. "There. That's all I wanted. I like hearing you rant at the television. I'm sorry I got you so upset," he said.

"Kaiba, you are absolutely insane," I informed him with the air of a long-suffering saint. I crawled back onto the bed and pulled the covers over me, turning my back to him.

"Now you're mad at me again," Seto huffed, sounding offended. Well, he deserved it.

"Go away, Kaiba," I muttered.

"I think I'll stay right here, thanks," he replied mockingly, echoing my earlier statement.

"Fine, stay there. I don't care," I grumbled, though my eyes widened and my heart thudded at the insinuation.

He sat there for a moment longer before he slid into the bed beside me and stretched out on his back, and my breath hitched as I tried to calm my speeding heart. The man I loved was lying in _bed_ with me. Wait, loved? Where did _that_ come from? But, the thought certainly sounded appealing...

Oh no. I think my problems just multiplied.

I groaned miserably and Seto sighed. "Yami, I said I was sorry. I just think you're funny when you're mad- well, except when you're mad at me. Will you please just forgive me already?" he asked impatiently. I felt his fingers slide soothingly through my hair, and I gulped. I rolled over onto my other side, so that I faced him, and his hand slid to my cheek.

"I'm not mad at you," I murmured. Then I took a deep breath, summoning my courage, and slid closer to him. I rested my head on his chest and stretched an arm across his stomach, silently praying for him not to pull away.

He merely rested an arm on my back. I fell asleep smiling.

* * *

Aww... Well, look for the next chapter in the middle of next week; and you'll find out exactly what happened to Mokuba's box of food. (laughs evilly)

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, I love hearing from you! And special thanks to MCG for the quesadilla recipe.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello again and happy Thanksgiving to all my American compatriots! I'm sad to say Yami won't be making any Thanksgiving food today; but there will be mention of brownies- and eggs again.

**Warnings**: OOCness, and Seto and Yami reach that "touchy" stage of flirting. And Seto takes his shirt off.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 5 

The next morning, I woke up first. My face still rested against Seto's lean chest and his arm wrapped tightly around my back. I sighed happily, inhaling his musky scent, before sliding carefully from under his arm, since he might not be as pleased as I was to wake so close together. I crawled out of the bed and glanced once more at his handsome face, eyes crinkled slightly as he slept.

I couldn't resist. I hovered cautiously over Seto and smoothed his hair back from his forehead before dropping a tiny kiss against his soft lips. He stirred slightly and I hurried from the room with a rush of fear pouring over me. As soon as I had escaped, I placed a tentative hand to my lips, still imagining I felt Seto's against mine. I sighed and headed to the kitchen to cook breakfast.

As I fried bacon in a pan to go with his eggs, Seto stumbled into the kitchen. His hair stuck up cutely all over his head and his cotton pants hung low on his hips, exposing an inch or so of his lower abdomen. I tried not to stare.

"Good morning," he mumbled, yawning. As he moved past me toward the coffeepot, he slipped an arm around my waist and lightly kissed the top of my head. My heart gave a giant thud and I dropped the spatula.

I hastily picked it up again and leaned over the stove, hoping Seto would think my burning flush came from its heat. Deftly I grabbed a plate and tossed the finished bacon and eggs onto it. Then I handed it to Seto, who leaned against the counter waiting for his coffee to percolate. He smiled at me and I hurriedly turned back to the stove. When I had finished cleaning the counter and started loading the dishes in the sink, Seto asked, "Aren't you going to eat anything?"

"I don't feel much like eating now," I mumbled.

"Alright then, let's go outside. It's too stuffy in here," Seto remarked. He quickly drained the last of his coffee and held out a hand to me. I instinctively took it but blushed when I felt his warm fingers in mine. Whistling, Seto led me out the front door, swinging our joined hands carelessly, and we sat companionably on the front steps, observing the cool summer morning.

"Your hair is sticking up all over your head," I snickered. I inched closer to Seto and raked my fingers through his soft hair, lightly scratching his scalp as I tamed his hair. He closed his eyes under my touch.

"Mmm." He gave a soft, rumbling moan, andI reluctantly pulled my hand away and stared at my lap, feeling a little embarrassed by his reaction. But then, the back of my neck prickled as I felt Seto's gaze on me, so I chanced another glance in his direction.

"Your hair always sticks up," he commented, grinning, "but I like it that way." He reached over and tugged teasingly at my spiky hair, and I made a face at him. Suddenly I shoved him, catching him off guard, and he tumbled to the ground. I jumped up and ran inside, slamming the door behind me and locking it before he could climb to his feet.

I snickered, wearing a goofy grin, as I watched him through the window. He dazedly stood, dusting himself off, and stomped to the door. Seto pounded on the door and I waved at him through the window, laughing hysterically. He scowled and moved to the window, which I quickly locked; and I ran back to the door, hiding from his view.

Oh no. I was flirting, wasn't I?

I honestly didn't mean to be; it just seemed to come naturally… Repentantly, I pulled open the door, but Seto had disappeared. "What? Where did he go?" I asked curiously, stepping out onto the porch. I walked barefoot onto the lawn, glancing back and forth, and a figure suddenly tackled me from the side.

I flew backward several feet and landed hard on the grassy lawn with Seto on top of me. Completely winded, I gasped harshly and he laughed his perfect laugh. "Hah. That's what you deserve," he teased, and tweaked my nose with his index finger.

He climbed off me and sat beside me in the grass. I slowly sat up, propping myself on one elbow, and gingerly rubbed my chest. "Ow. You really knocked the breath out of me," I complained. Seto rolled his eyes.

"So, what did Mokuba say when you saw him yesterday?" Seto asked. I blinked and stood shakily, and moved back to the front steps.

"To randomly change the subject," I replied, sitting on the step and stretching my bare feet out on the grassy lawn. He shrugged and sat on the step beside me. "Well, he didn't say much- I caught him between classes –but I think he scarred the secretary for life." I grinned at the memory, but then blushed when I realized that I actually wanted what Mokuba had unintentionally implied.

"Well, this sounds like an interesting story," Seto drawled, raising an eyebrow.

I sighed. "Okay, but it's a little embarrassing," I muttered. "The secretary wouldn't let me give Mokuba his food because she didn't know me, but Mokuba saw me standing there and convinced her that I was a friend. Then he wanted me to visit him but the secretary said only family could visit students, so Mokuba blurted, 'He is family; he lives with my big brother!' and the woman thought that you and I were, you know, _together_. But she still wouldn't let me visit because he had to go back to class."

I explained all this rather hurriedly, blushing through the whole story. After I finished I braced myself for Seto's derisive laughter, but he just looked at me quizzically. "I don't understand. How did that scar her for life?" he asked.

"Well, it embarrassed her, I think. Her eyes got really wide and her mouth was hanging open," I replied.

"Oh. That's a stupid thing to be embarrassed about," Seto said matter-of-factly. "But I'm glad she was- I didn't like her anyway."

"You don't like anyone," I teased, but my heart lifted at his reaction. He didn't seem shocked at all at the thought of us… But that was probably wishful thinking.

"Hey! I like _you_, don't I?" Seto asked, with an expression of mock hurt on his handsome features.

I grinned at him mischievously and ran inside and locked the door.

* * *

After a few minutes I had mercy on Seto and let him inside. He stood just inside the door and scowled at me as I innocently watched the morning news, with a tiny smirk on my face. "Seto, come and sit down. Your chef is about to come on," I teased. He rolled his eyes but sat beside me on the couch. 

I glanced at him cautiously. He seemed absorbed in the television, so I subtly inched closer. When he looked down at me I pretended to be watching the chef intently as he made a simple wedding cake, though I inwardly rejoiced at our proximity- Seto was so close now that I could feel his body heat through my thin T-shirt. Very gently, I leaned against his side, hoping he wouldn't notice.

He did. But instead of moving away, he slipped an arm around my shoulders and let me rest against him. I laid my head on his shoulder and began watching the unskilled chef. "Huh. At least he knows how to bake a cake. But I definitely wouldn't let him cater _my_ wedding," I remarked.

"Oh really? Who are you planning on marrying?" Seto asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That's not the point," I protested, blushing, and crossed my arms sulkily. Seto laughed softly.

"You are so adorable," he muttered, poking my nose with a slim finger.

"_What_?" I gasped. Seto blanched and pulled his arm away.

"Yami, I…" he began slowly. Two spots of color appeared on his pale cheeks and he gulped. Just then the phone rang. "I'll get it!" he cried, and rushed up to his study.

I blinked after his departing figure for a moment, before a wicked smile crept stealthily over my face.

* * *

Quickly I changed into my new black sleeveless shirt with silver edging, black pants, and boots. I fixed my hair so that the spiky strands stood up wildly and my blond bangs hung carelessly over my eyes, and I nodded, satisfied at my appearance. Then, I left my room and leaned, smirking wickedly, against the wall by Seto's study. His door was closed and I could hear his irritated voice, still on the phone. 

Suddenly the door swung open and Seto stomped furiously out and into his room without even noticing me. I blinked in belated surprise, staring at the door to his bedroom. Maybe I needed to rethink my plan. Taking a deep breath, I hesitantly knocked on the door. "Just give me a second, Yami!" Seto snapped.

I backed away, intimidated by his tone. "Er… Never mind, it's nothing. I'm just going to clean up the kitchen," I mumbled and began to turn away.

The door swung open behind me. "Wait! I said give me a second," Seto called irritably. I turned back to the door and my breath hitched in amazement. Seto stood in the doorway, shirtless, and buttoning his pants as hefrowned seriously. Okay, my plan totally stinks. I can't impress him with my adorableness if he's standing there like a half-naked Adonis.

I just stood there, gaping, while Seto picked up a long-sleeved blue shirt and slipped it over his long, lean torso. "That was Mokuba's principal on the phone. Apparently he got into a fight with some of the other kids over that food you brought him," Seto told me, raking his fingers through his hair to smooth it.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause trouble," I apologized, reluctantly tearing my gaze from him.

"You didn't; Mokuba did. Apparently he doesn't like to share," Seto laughed. He slipped an arm around my shoulders and we walked downstairs together. "Anyway, I have to meet with Mokuba and his principal now. Do you want to come?"

"Should I? I'm not family," I said hesitantly.

"Yes you are. Mokuba said so, remember?" Seto laughed. I grinned, embarrassed, and he continued. "You brought Mokuba the food, so it might help for you to be there. Besides, I want you to come." He mumbled the last sentence quickly and pulled his hand from my shoulders.

"Of course you do. I'm adorable," I smirked up at him.

* * *

"Mr. Kaiba, I'm glad you could make it," said the principal. He rose to shake Seto's hand. "And who is this?" the principal added, noticing me. 

"Mr. Wentworth, this is Yami. He's the one who made Mokuba all that food," Seto explained.

"Is that so? Well, young man, apparently you didn't make enough," Mr. Wentworth chuckled good-naturedly.

"I don't think he ever could," Seto put in, beaming proudly. I blushed.

"Well, sit down, you two. I'll call Mokuba in," Mr. Wentworth told us, gesturing to three chairs in front of his desk. Seto and I sat next to each other and the principal buzzed Mokuba's teacher on the intercom.

"Yami, I wish I could have tasted some of that food. It must have been incredible- I've never seen a fight like that in all my years of teaching. I think every boy in school was involved," Mr. Wentworth informed me after a moment.

"I'm sorry; I really didn't mean to cause trouble," I apologized. Seto shifted in annoyance.

"Yami, I already told you it's not your fault!" he sighed. Then he turned to the principal. "He had to promise to bring Mokuba food for this week. It was the only way we could pry him away from Yami long enough to get him to go back to school," Seto explained.

"Oh. Mokuba has a schoolboy crush, then; that's cute," Mr. Wentworth commented, eyeing me.

I wished I wasn't wearing tight, all-black clothes.

"WHAT?" Seto and I gasped together.

"I'm just teasing," Mr. Wentworth said with a wave of his hand. "Miss Pentley, our secretary, told me the two of you were together. I must say you make a cute couple, though I generally don't approve of such things." He smiled broadly at us.

I buried my hopelessly red face in my hands.

Just then Mokuba came bounding in. I could have kissed him. "Seto!" he cried happily, and hugged his brother. "Hi, Yami!" he chirped, and hugged me, too. I smiled at the black-haired boy and my face gradually returned to its normal shade.

"Mokuba, you're in big trouble, young man," Seto admonished. Mokuba scowled at his brother and crossed his arms angrily before he sat in the empty chair.

"But Seto, it wasn't my fault! I hid my food, but everyone found it and they were going to eat it all! I only got to eat one of the brownies!" Mokuba wailed.

Seto turned to me, distracted. "You made him brownies?" he asked jealously. I shrugged.

"It was chocolate fudge and peanut butter swirl, and there were nuts on top… It was the best thing I ever tasted," Mokuba sighed. "But then all the guys had to try and steal everything; I barely got to see what was inside. Cookies with chocolate chips and nuts, chocolate fudge with rice crispies, all sorts of things, and I didn't get ANY of it! I just _had_ to fight them!" Mokuba slowly reddened in anger while Seto and Mr. Wentworth stared into space dazedly. I think they were about to start drooling.

"A-_hem_," I cleared my throat. They all blinked and looked at me sheepishly.

"Thank you Mokuba, you may go," Mr. Wentworth said.

"But…"

"Go on, Mokuba," Seto said sternly.

"Okay. Bye Seto, Yami," Mokuba sighed, waving at me halfheartedly as he trudged out the door.

"Well, then," Mr. Wentworth said in a businesslike tone. "I don't think there's any reason to punish him." Seto nodded, and I looked at the two curiously.

"Yes sir, it's obvious he was provoked," Seto replied.

"Most likely defending himself," Mr. Wentworth added. What? Had we been in the same meeting? "Now, there's only one more thing to say," the principal continued. He and Seto turned to me.

"Would you make me some of those brownies?" they asked simultaneously.

* * *

"I knew going to that meeting was a bad idea," I grumbled as I climbed into the car beside Seto. 

"What are you talking about? The principal loved you, and Mokuba isn't even in trouble," Seto said, giving me a brief blue-eyed glance as he drove down the country road.

"Aside from the fact that it was probably the most embarrassing experience of my life, it was wonderful," I replied dryly.

"You can't help what stories some idiotic secretary spreads about you. And you shouldn't be embarrassed about the boys fighting over your food; that's a compliment."

"Well, I drew a lot of attention to myself today. That's probably not a good idea," I sighed.

"You don't still think someone is after you, do you? The old man told us Yugi had run away. If _he_ thinks that, it doesn't matter what some stupid teenagers think. No one's going to try to kill you," Seto drawled sarcastically.

"I might as well go home then, hmm? Is that what you're saying?" I snapped. "I'm just a paranoid leech staying with you for no reason?"

The car came to a screeching halt in the middle of the road. A tractor behind us swerved to avoid a crash, and the driver glared at Seto as he passed us, slowly guiding the sputtering machine down the road. Seto turned to me slowly, cerulean eyes flashing. "Do you _want_ to go home? Do you not appreciate anything I've done for you?" he growled. His deep voice had become a low, threatening rumble.

"What do you think?" I snapped. "Haven't I thanked you enough? Don't I make it obvious how much I care about you and Mokuba? I told myself just yesterday that I would be perfectly content staying here with you in the woods forever… But all you do is criticize me for worrying about Yugi, and tell me not to be upset because he just ran away. Ran away! To where? How could he be safe if he just _ran off_?"

I started to tear up and crossed my arms angrily, gazing into the distance and willfully not meeting Seto's gaze. He sighed. "Yami, _you_ ran away, and you're perfectly safe. And happy, I hope," Seto said levelly.

Turning my watery gaze to him, I nodded and gave him a little smile. He smiled in return and lightly cupped his hand to my cheek before starting the car again. "I'd better go, or I'll cause the first traffic jam in Bay City history," Seto quipped, and I giggled. "And I'm sorry, Yami," he added softly.

"Me too. I really am grateful, you know," I told him, swiping an arm across my face quickly to catch any stray tears.

"So am I," Seto murmured quietly.


	6. Chapter 6

Well, this is the last chapter. I'm a little sad to see it end, since this has remained my most popular story and everyone seems to like it... Anyway, I hope you all like this chapter and continue to read my other stories. Thanks once again to everyone who has responded to this. I love you all!

**Warnings**: OOCness. And Yami is a tease.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 6

When we got home Seto went to his study to work for a while, and I decided to work on my plan a little more. Okay, so I didn't really have a plan yet. But he'd said I was adorable, so that must mean he liked me, right? And yesterday… I was so sure he was about to kiss me- maybe he was just scared. I would just have to make sure to be, well, accessible; to give him plenty of opportunities… just in case.

While he worked, I made Seto fudge nut brownies like I'd done for Mokuba.

I was beginning to feel a little like a housewife.

The thought made me grin (well, grin sarcastically anyway), and I carried the brownie tray upstairs to Seto's study, shaking my head resignedly. Knocking softly on the door, I brought the tray over to where he sat typing furiously on his laptop and set it beside him on the desk. I leaned slowly over his shoulder and lifted a brownie from the tray. "Hi," I breathed in his ear.

The typing stopped.

I backed away slightly, nibbling on the brownie, and watched carefully for his reaction. He stared at me for a moment before the junk food drew his attention. "Did you make these for me?" Seto asked, eyeing them. The brownies looked incredible, if I do say so myself- I'd gone to more trouble than I had for Mokuba's.

"I told you I would, didn't I?" I smirked, and turned so I leaned my back against the corner of the desk. "But I'm not making _anything_ for that principal," I added, frowning a little.

"Good. That way I get all the attention," Seto teased.

"You're so arrogant, Kaiba," I told him with a smile. I leaned forward and gently brushed his bangs out of his eyes, letting my slim fingers slide across his forehead. He gazed at me neutrally and I slipped my hand down his face and lightly cupped his cheek before pulling away.

Seto cleared his throat. "Well… Thank you, Yami. I'm sure they're wonderful," he said, and went back to typing.

"Aren't you going to eat them?" I sulked, a little offended.

"Yes, of course. But I can't take a break right now," he told me shortly.

"Oh…" I watched him for a moment, wondering what to do. Kaiba confused me like nobody else could- one minute he says I'm adorable and the next he ignores me. Well, I'd just have to make it harder for him to ignore me, then.

Sliding away from the edge of the desk, I moved behind Seto's chair so that my whole body leaned against his and placed my hands on his shoulders. Seto stiffened under my touch and I gently began massaging his shoulders. "You're so tense," I murmured in his ear, and he made a tiny grunt of acknowledgement.

Slowly, I worked out knots in his shoulder muscles until I felt him relax beneath my fingers. I slid my hands up to his neck and rubbed tiny circles with my thumb just under his hairline. He moaned softly, and feeling braver I wrapped my arms lightly around his neck and rested my chin on his shoulder.

He tilted his head slightly, letting our cheeks rest against each other, and I let out a tiny sigh of happiness. At my sound, however, Seto seemed to snap back into reality and his shoulders stiffened once more. I reluctantly pulled away.

"Well, I hope you like those brownies," I said as neutrally as possible and walked from the room. I could feel his gaze on me until I was out of sight.

* * *

That night, I fell asleep on the couch watching television. When I woke, late that night, Seto was still upstairs working in his study. He had barely even come down for dinner that evening; either he had gotten really behind on his work or he was just trying to avoid me. After his lack of reaction to me that afternoon I was rather inclined to believe the latter.

I glanced at the clock, yawning. 1:00 A.M. I turned off the television and plodded upstairs, noticing the light shining under the study door. Hesitantly I lifted my hand to knock at the door, but I changed my mind at the last moment and merely trudged quietly to my room and crawled into bed.

The next thing I noticed was something tickling my cheek. I swatted at the object- and caught a hand in mine. My eyes popped open in surprise and I stared up into Seto's embarrassed face as he attempted to free his hand. "What…what time is it?" I asked stupidly, still clutching his hand.

"I don't know. Late. I didn't mean to wake you; I just didn't get to say goodnight," he whispered. I could feel the relieved smile suddenly plastered on my face. Maybe he wasn't avoiding me, after all.

"It's okay," I said, and reluctantly released his hand.

"Well…goodnight, then," Seto told me, shifting awkwardly.

"Good night," I smiled back at him. He gave me a sheepish grin and turned to go. "Wait!" I called softly, and he turned back, looking at me expectantly. "You…you don't have to leave. If you don't want to, I mean," I mumbled, blushing furiously.

What was I doing?

He stared at me for a moment in surprise before a slow smile spread across his handsome features. Seto nodded and climbed into bed beside me, and I immediately scooted over to him and curled against his side. He carefully rested his arm over me, as if I might break, and I stretched up and kissed his cheek. Quickly I laid my head back on his shoulder, not wanting to see his reaction.

We lay silently for a long time, until Seto shifted. He ran his fingers gently through my hair and planted a soft kiss on my forehead. "Yami? Do you remember when I asked if you loved Yugi?" he murmured.

"Yes," I replied.

"Well…Do you…" he paused and pulled back slightly so he could see my face, and studied it carefully.

"Do I what? Love Yugi? I already told you no, at least not in that way," I sighed, and closed my eyes.

"No… Do you love me?" Seto blurted.

My eyes shot open in shock and I met Seto's serious blue gaze, mere inches away. "_What_?" I gasped. He narrowed his eyes and pulled away from me, and started to climb out of bed.

"Never mind. I was just wondering, that's all," he muttered as he stood. I finally gathered my wits about me and jumped up as he crossed the room, and I raced to the door, blocking his exit.

"Wait! Stop, don't leave, please," I begged. "You just took me by surprise." I grabbed his hand in both of mine and tried to tug him back to the bed. He stood firmly, uncertainty swirling in his cerulean eyes. I sighed, and taking a deep breath, I wrapped my arms around his neck and planted a soft little kiss on his lips.

"I love you, I do," I mumbled and pulled away. My face burned red as fire; though I hoped he couldn't tell in the darkness.

"Really?" Seto asked huskily. I nodded, looking at the floor, until I suddenly felt his long, slim arms wrap around my waist. He drew me close against him and gently lifted my chin. Then he tilted his face down toward mine and I felt his warm breath for a split second before his lips caught mine in a searing kiss.

I moaned in bliss and wrapped my arms around his neck once more as he deepened the kiss, his tongue scraping against my teeth to slide against my own. He tasted like brownies. When I made another little whimper of happiness, Seto broke away from my mouth and trailed little kisses along my jaw line, ending just below my ear. He paused and pulled away slightly, then murmured in my ear, "Well, that's good to hear."

I flushed again and drew away from him in embarrassment. "Kaiba, you're so rude," I mumbled. What was _that_? Was he just playing some stupid game? He was supposed to say…

"I love you, too."

I just grinned and went back to kissing him.

* * *

The next two weeks were the happiest weeks of my life. Seto and I lived in our little bubble of new love, completely caught up in each other. Even my worries about Yugi were pushed to the back of my mind. But they couldn't stay there forever.

On Wednesday of our last week in the little country house, Seto worked furiously in his study while I lounged beside him in a chair I'd pulled from my room. He took frequent breaks. During one such recess, (which had already resulted in quite a large hickey under my ear) the phone rang and startled the two of us from our recreation.

"Kaiba," Seto answered croakily, pressing the button for the speakerphone.

"Sir, there's been a breakthrough in the investigation," Roland's voice said excitedly.

"Roland…" Seto began, glancing at me apprehensively, but Roland cut him off.

"We found him."

Oppressive silence dropped over the room for a long second. Then, "Seto, what is he talking about?" I asked quietly, hope and suspicion dawning simultaneously in my still lust-clouded mind. I blinked a few times to clear my head and stared at Seto questioningly.

"Where is he, Roland?" Seto asked, watching my face.

"You're not going to believe this…"

* * *

The tiny silver convertible squealed to a halt in front of the Kame Game Shop, leaving long black tire marks along the pavement. Almost before Seto had parked, I threw the door open and ran across the concrete sidewalk. "YUGI!" I cried, rushing through the open shop door.

He turned and observed me through dark-rimmed eyes that contrasted sharply with his pale, drawn face. "Yami," he said quietly, and hugged me gently as I ran over to him. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he muttered into my shirt.

"What? Why? Where have you been? Seto's had people out looking for you for weeks," I said in confusion.

"Here. I've been here," Yugi muttered.

"_What_? How?" I gasped. Yugi bit his lip and guiltily observed the floor tiles.

"When I woke up and saw you lying beside me I just panicked. I didn't know how it had happened, but you were there- _real_, right there beside me in the bed. I just couldn't face it, couldn't face _you_," Yugi said.

Shock roared over me in painful, noisy waves and I took a few steps backward. I thought I'd prepared myself for everything, but this? "You…you ran away because you couldn't _face me_?" I questioned disbelievingly. A warm hand gently rubbed soothing circles along my back, and I gave Seto, who had suddenly appeared behind me, a grateful glance over my shoulder.

"No, not exactly," Yugi muttered. "I did run- that first night; but then I changed my mind and came back, but you were already gone. I went all over town looking for you, until I ran into Bakura. He told me that you did some kind of spell to get your own body, and that you were out celebrating with Jou and the rest…without me. After that… I couldn't face any of you, so I hid out in the basement. I made Jiichan tell everyone that I was out of town, until one of Kaiba's goons came searching the house and found me."

"Goons? Those _goons_ were trying to find you because _I_ thought you were dead, and Seto was trying desperately to give me _some_ hope that you were alright!" I shouted. I just couldn't believe this- how could Yugi have done something like that? Angry tears splashed down my cheeks and Seto moved his hand so that it wrapped tightly around my waist. I gave a choked sob and buried my face into his shoulder, and he drew me close and hugged me while I cried.

I could feel Yugi's shocked gaze against the back of my head, and I dug my face a little deeper into Seto's shirt. "Do you even know what you did to him?" Seto growled angrily. I could feel his deep voice reverberating in his chest. "When I found him, he was desperate, starving and exhausted. Your _friends_ sent him into exile because you decided to hide from the world!"

"Yami, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. When I saw you, I was just…terrified. I was afraid because- because, well, every time you came out of the Puzzle, you just overshadowed me so much that no one even noticed me. But I could at least take comfort in the fact that I was the _real_ Yugi, and that you were just a spirit, without a body of your own. When even that was taken away, I couldn't handle it; I knew my friends would only notice you and never pay attention to me again. So I hid," Yugi explained slowly.

I pulled away from Seto and looked Yugi right in the eyes. A few despairing tears trickled down his cheeks, and he lowered his dark-rimmed eyes under my searching gaze. "I was never Yugi, _real_ or not. I've always just been Yami. And your friends would never choose me over you; in fact, they nearly killed me just because they couldn't find you," I said quietly.

He rushed over to me and embraced me desperately. "I know; I know that now. Please forgive me," he begged. I stroked his hair soothingly. It hurt, it hurt badly, what Yugi had done; but still, I couldn't stay angry with him. He obviously regretted it, and I could understand his motives, after all. Maybe now that we were separate Yugi would see how much his friends really did appreciate him- and how much I did, as well.

"Of course I forgive you," I murmured. "I love you, after all." Seto made a sudden movement and I rolled my eyes at him and grinned humorlessly. "But not _that_ way," I added.

Yugi sniffed and raised his head to peer at me curiously. "Yami, are you and Kaiba… _together_?" he asked.

I blushed.

* * *

Stumbling under the load, I lugged the pile of my clothes and shoes into Seto's room and dropped it onto his neatly packed luggage. He glared at me. "What? I don't have a suitcase," I protested.

"Can't you at least fold them?" Seto grumbled. He removed my bundle and began folding the clothes himself, and put the boots aside with the rest of his shoes. I knelt on the bed beside him and teased him by nibbling his ear lasciviously while he tried to pack. When I scooted even closer, making wet trails along his neck, Seto swatted me away.

"Stop it. Mokuba's just down the hall," he told me, fighting a grin. I smirked at him and seductively strode across the room, then firmly shut and locked the thick wooden door. He started to protest but I ran back to the bed and jumped on him, knocking him flat on his back against the mattress. The suitcase bounced and tumbled to the floor, inevitably scattering its contents messily along the carpet.

Seto groaned in frustration until I took advantage of his open mouth by capturing his lips in a fervent kiss as I straddled his hips. I teasingly pulled his tongue into my mouth and lightly sucked on it, making his breath hitch in surprise and arousal. He wrapped his arms around me and eagerly drew me flush against his chest as I attentively massaged his tongue with mine.

Seto's hands slid lower down my back until they slipped under the waistband of my pants. As soon as I felt his warm fingers splayed along my hips I pulled away from him, smirking. "Stop it; Mokuba's just down the hall," I teased. I hopped off the bed and ran out of the room.

Several minutes passed before he could follow me.

* * *

A few hours later, Seto and I piled into the little convertible with Mokuba squeezed into the tiny space between the seats and the trunk. I watched sadly as the beautiful little country house disappeared from view, and I gave a tiny involuntary sigh. "I'll miss this place," I murmured. It held a lot of good memories now, even though I definitely hadn't arrived under the best of circumstances…

Seto took my hand and twined our fingers together as he casually drove down the country road. "I know what you mean. But we can always come back. Besides, you'll be near Yugi and all your other stupid friends again," he said.

Mokuba and I groaned. "Don't call them stupid," we chided simultaneously. Seto scowled, so I leaned across the seat to give him a quick pacifying kiss on the cheek, ignoring the mock gagging sounds coming from Mokuba's direction.

"I love you," I whispered in Seto's ear.

He smirked. "That's good to hear."


End file.
